Ljubljanica river

Due to its quality and scientific narrative features, the bed of the Ljubljanica river between Vrhnika and Ljubljana is considered one of the most significant archaeological sites in Slovenia. Various random finds during the first regulations at the end of the 19th century led to one of the first underwater archaeological investigations in Europe under the direction of Karel Dežman, head of the Provincial Museum of that time, and with the aid of divers of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The found artefacts dating to different periods, from prehistory to the modern age, and especially the rich localities and contents of the finds, indicate that in prehistory as well as in the period when the Slavs settled in this part of the world the Ljubljanica had a cultic meaning. Owing to the story told by the river about the history of the Barje, the Ljubljanica has been since 2003 protected as cultural property.